Healthier Takeaways / Convenience Foods

Healthier Takeaways / Convenience Foods

This leaflet has been developed for patients in the Specialist Weight Management Service.

Most of us rely on fast and convenient food, prepared outside the home. This can be food from restaurants, fast food establishments, cafes or from the supermarket to be heated up in the oven or microwave.   Many takeaways and restaurants provide information on calories; use this to help choose your dish. These can be part of a healthy diet if healthier choices are made.

Below are some tips to help you make healthier choices.

• Think about the portion sizes, this can be big in some restaurants and takeaways
  • Opt for a smaller portion, or order less and share
  • Add a vegetable side order to make it filling
• Side orders can sometimes be substantial enough; could you have one as your main?
• Use the calorie information to help you choose, some establishments now provide this on their menus
• Drinks have calories too – choose low calorie/diet options
• Stay within recommendations if you choose an alcoholic drink and remember that alcohol is concentrated in calories.

Fish and chips

• Opt for thicker chips – they absorb less fat, and choose a smaller portion
• Opt for fish in breadcrumbs instead of batter, or leave the batter around your fish (it absorbs a lot of fat)
• Have a smaller portion of chips and have baked beans, mushy peas or side salad with it – they’re low in fat and high in fibre helping you feel full
• Avoid extras such as curry sauce, gravy, and white bread and butter which add extra calories to an already calorie-dense meal
• Leave out the salt or have less of it
• Instead of large battered fish, large chips, curry sauce and slice of bread and butter (1850kcal) – opt for small fish and chips with mushy peas (650kcal) this saves 1200kcal

Pizza

• Order a smaller pizza
  • Small takeaway pizza with side salad = 900kcal vs Large takeaway pizza = 2200kcal
• Choose a thin base instead of deep pan or stuffed crust
  • Stuffed crust adds on average 200kcal
  • Thin base on average is 400-500kcal less than deep pan
• Choose pizza with lean meat or vegetable topping, limit cured meat or cheesy topping
• Opt for side salads without/less dressing, and limit side orders such as garlic bread
  • Takeaway garlic bread can add 600kcal to meal

Chinese/Thai

• Swap battered, “crispy”, and deep fried items for steamed, boiled, poached or grilled items
• Swap red and green curries for stir fries and dry curry dishes.
• Choose lighter starters such as soup, steamed vegetables or dumplings

Indian

• Opt for items in a tomato based sauce instead of a creamy sauce such as jalfrezi, madras, tandoori instead of korma, passanda or masala
  • Chicken Jalfrezi = 480kcal vs Chicken Tikka Masala = 800kcal
• Have one starchy carbohydrate source, for example plain rice or naan bread, instead of having both
  • Side of basmati rice = 250kcal vs Side of pilau rice and naan bread = 850kcal
• Opt for plain rice, roti or chapatti instead of naan bread and pilau rice, fried rice, coconut rice etc
• Avoid deep fried items such as onion bhajis, pakoras and poppadoms

Kebabs and burgers

• Opt for shish kebabs with pitta and vegetables instead of doner kebabs – this can be a fairly low fat option and a good choice.
• Opt for a chicken, fish or veggie burger over a burger with cheese
• Opt for a side salad instead of chips
• Avoid deep fried items

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything, please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PALS@nhs.net

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.  

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